Cruise into the Texas lake house tradition with a stay at Lake Austin Spa Resort, widely recognized as one of the best destination wellness havens in the world — and less than two hours from San Antonio.
Hidden away on 19 acres of leafy lakeshore, this retreat will not only feed the yearning for a lake house in the hot summer months (or anytime of the year), but it’s set so seamlessly amid verdant nature that transformation begins the moment you arrive. Relax to the sound of the lake rhythmically tapping the shore and the birds twittering atop trees, and the sight of glimmering green water.
A healing, joy-evoking, empowering place that welcomes guests as family, this convivial hideaway has only 40 guest rooms. Some sit lakeside; others nestle into private gardens.
Established long before bespoke wellness became a trend, Lake Austin Spa stands out as a pioneer of customized, worldwide wellness. Its inclusive programs center on clean food, state-of-the-art spa treatments, a cornucopia of daily activities and the cure that comes from idyllic, natural surroundings.
You can get a day pass, buy a full- or half-day pampering package or even check in for one treatment at at time. But many guests leave wishing they’d stayed longer.
To fully decompress, step into a new reality, leave the past behind and learn a new skill (warrior yoga, tai chi, sculling, Pilates, etc.), or find bliss by staying at least a night or two at this award-winning spa resort.
Courtesy photo
Offers for longer stays vary, but they may include a free extra day with Sunday arrivals, themed stays (think reading retreats and pickleball round robins) or special deals for groups of eight or more. (Hello, hen parties and multigenerational revelers.) Perfect for solo travelers, couples or groups of friends, the resort lends itself to the pace you choose. Set goals and stay busy, or just chill. Or mix it up; it’s up to you.
Most guests confer with staff and trainers to create itineraries that might include head-to-toe spa treatments, cooking classes, hiking, paddleboard yoga, journaling workshops, kettlebell workouts or crystal sound bowl healing. Personal time in the gym draws some; others look forward to a sunset boat ride or tranquil hours beside one of the swimming pools, book in hand.
Wear your bathrobe everywhere, whether to the formal dining room, which edges the lake, in the Venue Cafe at the spa or on a chef-packed picnic while slouched in a hammock slung between trees.
Bucolic setting aside, the 25,000-square-foot LakeHouse Spa reigns as the resort’s pièce de résistance. Elegantly configured, it offers an extraordinary, even encyclopedic menu of spa rituals and treatments. Choose from some 100 modalities. They run the gamut from therapeutic to results-driven. You’ll find beauty-oriented options and energy-shifting rituals.
All are executed by master therapists, many of whom have worked in the spa for years. Splurge on The Regal by Valmont, a three-hour facial that’s one of the world’s most effective (and expensive) facials — a stellar mother-of-the-bride treatment. Other top picks: the Texas Prickly Pear Scrub, Chakra Meditation and a classic Couples Massage.
Lake Austin Spa Resort
12611 Riverbend Road